Local authorities arrested a Centre man for making a false accident report this past weekend.

Arrested, according to Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver, was Mitchell Battles who was charged with rendering a false alarm.

This past Saturday, July 14, Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said dispatch received a 911 call reporting a motor vehicle accident on a dirt road in the vicinity of Cherokee Rock Village. The caller stated someone was trapped underneath an overturned vehicle. Personnel from Cherokee EMS, Cherokee County Rescue Squad, Sand Rock Fire Department, Leesburg Police Department, Alabama State Troopers, and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office responded to the area and began searching for the vehicle and persons involved in the accident, Shaver said.

Because of the rough terrain, rescue vehicles were unable to travel down several of the small dirt roads, and the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit was called to assist in the search with their all-terrain vehicles. Authorities became suspicious and attempted to contact the individual who reported the accident. The call was traced to a residence in Centre. Deputies went to the residence, and Mitchell Battles identified himself as the caller and confessed there was no accident.

Sheriff Shaver stated it is unfortunate that responding to this prank call risked the lives of emergency personnel and the life of anyone who might have had an actual emergency at that time, and it is a serious and costly offense.